401(k) Calculator
Project your 401(k) balance at retirement with employer matching, salary growth, and 2026 IRS contribution limits applied year by year.
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Adjust the inputs on the left to see your projected balance at retirement.
A 401(k) is the workhorse of American retirement saving: you defer part of each paycheck pre-tax, your employer often matches a portion, and the whole pot compounds tax-deferred until you withdraw it. This calculator projects your balance year by year from today until your chosen retirement age, applying the 2026 IRS contribution limits at every age along the way.
How it's calculated
The projection runs one loop per year of work remaining:
employee = min(salary × contribution %, IRS deferral limit for that age)
match = match % × min(employee, salary × match-cap %)
balance = (balance + employee + match) × (1 + annual return %)
salary = salary × (1 + salary growth %)
The employer match is modeled the way most US plans describe it: your employer contributes a percentage of your contribution (for example, 50%), but only on contributions up to a cap expressed as a percentage of salary (commonly 6%). With a $75,000 salary, an 8% contribution, a 50% match, and a 6% cap, you contribute $6,000 and your employer adds 50% × min($6,000, $4,500) = $2,250.
For 2026, per IRS Notice 2025-67 and Rev. Proc. 2025-32, the employee deferral limit is $24,500. Savers aged 50 and older may add an $8,000 catch-up, and SECURE 2.0's enhanced catch-up lets workers aged 60–63 add $11,250 instead (the limit returns to the $8,000 catch-up at 64+). The combined employee-plus-employer limit is $72,000. The calculator caps your deferral at the age-appropriate limit each year as your salary grows.
Assumptions and limitations
- Contributions are made once per year and returns are credited at year-end, which slightly understates intra-year compounding.
- The 2026 limits are held constant for all future years; in reality the IRS indexes them to inflation annually.
- The $72,000 combined limit and the high-earner mandatory Roth catch-up rule are not enforced.
- Taxes on withdrawal, plan fees, vesting schedules, and Roth 401(k) treatment are outside the model.
Use the year-by-year table to see exactly when catch-up eligibility kicks in and how much of your final balance comes from employer money versus market growth.
Frequently asked questions
What is the 401(k) contribution limit for 2026?
For 2026 the employee deferral limit is $24,500 (IRS Notice 2025-67). Workers 50+ can add an $8,000 catch-up, and ages 60–63 get an enhanced $11,250 catch-up under SECURE 2.0. The combined employee + employer limit is $72,000.
How does an employer match like "50% up to 6%" work?
Your employer contributes 50 cents for every dollar you contribute, but only on contributions up to 6% of your salary. On a $75,000 salary the maximum match is 50% × $4,500 = $2,250 per year — free money you forfeit if you contribute less than 6%.
Does the employer match count against my $24,500 limit?
No. The $24,500 deferral limit applies only to your own contributions. Employer money counts toward the separate combined limit of $72,000 for 2026.
What rate of return should I assume?
A diversified stock-heavy portfolio has historically returned around 7–10% per year before inflation. Many planners model 6–7% to stay conservative; try several values to see the range of outcomes.
What is the enhanced catch-up for ages 60–63?
SECURE 2.0 allows workers who are 60, 61, 62, or 63 at year-end to contribute a larger catch-up — $11,250 in 2026 — instead of the standard $8,000. At age 64 the standard $8,000 catch-up applies again.
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Results from this calculator are estimates for informational use only — not financial, medical, or professional advice. Read our full disclaimer before acting on any number you see here.